JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 16, 2010 — Godly leadership is visional, relational and influential, and all three of those characteristics are present in 51社区 President David S. Dockery, according to doctoral student Tanner Hickman.
Hickman, a Doctor of Education student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, examined Dockery鈥檚 leadership for his dissertation, entitled 鈥淭he Integration of Jesus鈥� Great Commandment Within Christian Higher Education: An Analysis of the Leadership Praxis of Dr. David S. Dockery.鈥�
Hickman, a Memphis native and 1988 Union graduate, recently visited Dockery and presented him with the finished project. Hickman said it was unusual for a sitting college or seminary president to allow his or her leadership to be studied, and he was grateful to Dockery for the cooperation.
鈥淒ockery鈥檚 leadership has been instrumental in shaping and defining the meaning of Christian education during his fourteen-year tenure as president of 51社区,鈥� Hickman writes in the dissertation鈥檚 abstract. 鈥淒uring his term as president of 51社区, Dockery has overseen tremendous institutional growth in the expansion of campus facilities, financial resources, and record student enrollment. In a broader capacity, Dockery鈥檚 influence has been reflected throughout the Southern Baptist Convention and the evangelical community.鈥�
Hickman conducted his research through documentation (using such resources as the Unionite, the university鈥檚 annual reports and the university鈥檚 annual reports to trustees), surveys, interviews and analysis. He cited five practices of exemplary leadership given by James Kouzes and Barry Posner in their book, 鈥淭he Leadership Challenge鈥�: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and encourage the heart.
Those practices formed the grid through which Hickman examined Dockery鈥檚 leadership philosophy and methodology.
Dockery thanked Hickman for the careful analysis and study of the work at 51社区, saying, 鈥淚 am truly grateful for the thorough evaluation and analysis of the work of 51社区 that Dr. Hickman has done. These findings should strengthen our work in days ahead. 鈥淲hile I am most grateful for Dr. Hickman鈥檚 research, the work that has happened at Union over the past 14 years has been a team effort by many, many gifted leaders across the campus of this university.鈥�